


the starting line of an adventure

by LiveLaughLovex



Series: first to fight [11]
Category: The Code (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Established Relationship, F/M, Post-Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-16 21:37:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21278123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiveLaughLovex/pseuds/LiveLaughLovex
Summary: They've been together almost a month when Abe decides it's time they go on a real date. Harper doesn't understand why he's so dedicated to it, but the look on his face when he asks is enough to convince her to go along with whatever ideas he's got in his head.





	the starting line of an adventure

**Author's Note:**

> The title comes from a line in Sleeping at Last's "Joy."

“We’ve been together almost a month now,” Abe mentioned offhandedly one evening, reaching for the takeout container full of noodles on the coffee table in front of them.

“We have,” Harper confirmed, stabbing a bite of broccoli with her fork and lifting it towards her mouth.

“And yet we haven’t been on a date.”

Harper’s fork froze an inch away from her mouth. “Yes, we have,” she argued. “Ice cream right after our first kiss. I’m a little hurt you find me so easily forgettable, Abraham,” she added playfully.

“Oh, believe me, I’m not likely to forget that night anytime soon,” he assured her, his suggestive smirk transforming into a genuine smile when she rolled her eyes with no small amount of fondness. “That’s not what I meant. In the twenty-nine days since we’ve gotten together-”

“You’ve counted the days? That’s sweet,” Harper interrupted.

“-we haven’t gone out,” he finished. “There’s been no tablecloths, no ridiculously expensive wine. No menus we’d need a translator to be able to order off of.”

“Oh, so those are the qualifiers for a date?” she questioned teasingly, tilting her head to the side to stare at him. “Because I’ve been to a restaurant where I couldn’t read the menu before, and it wasn’t really that pleasant of an experience. It’s actually how I ended up trying escargot for the first time.”

“I won’t let you order snails,” he promised.

“Wow, you really like me,” she murmured amusedly, setting aside her empty bowl. “This really matters to you, huh?”

Abe shrugged. “I guess it does, yeah. I just… I want to do things the right way, that’s all.”

“This isn’t the wrong way, Abe,” she tried to reassure him. “It isn’t 1932 anymore. You don’t have to declare your intentions to anyone other than me. But if this really matters to you – well, I’ll never turn down an opportunity to watch you butcher the Italian language.”

“It’s easy to joke about that when you didn’t accidently order a dessert made from pork blood,” Abe muttered exasperatedly, though a quick quirk of his lips gave him away. 

“Did you miss the part where I ate_ snails_?” she questioned incredulously. “At least your pig’s blood was sweetened.”

“That’s a fair point,” Abe allowed. “How about this? If I promise not to let you order anything you would not knowingly eat, will you have dinner with me Friday night?”

She tilted her head back against the couch cushions with an amused smile, her eyes drifting closed for a moment. “I would’ve done that even if you’d let me order the snails _and_ the cake made from pork’s blood,” she informed him, moving closer and laying her head on his shoulder.

He pressed a kiss to her hair. “Oh, well, now that you’ve given me permission…”

“Don’t you dare,” she threatened lightheartedly, her eyes drifting shut once more. She released a content sigh as she snuggled closer. “I really think you’re going to have a hard time topping tonight, though,” she added.

“Believe me,” he replied just as softly, “I wouldn’t even try to.”

-o-

Their date ended up getting postponed, of course. They were prosecutors, and very few of the Marines who committed crimes were polite enough to do so within the state lines.

“I could see if they’ll hold the reservation,” Abe suggested. “We might make it back in time.”

“From Arizona?” Harper sighed, shaking her head. “No chance we’ll be back before they close, even if the guy confesses as soon as we walk in the room. Think you might have to take the defeat this time around, sweetheart. There’ll be plenty more Fridays, I promise.”

“Might get called in on all of those, too,” Abe muttered under his breath as they approached the waiting aircraft.

“Well, I’m sure we could put out a PSA, ask all of our people not to commit crimes on the days we’re supposed to go out,” Harper proposed wryly. “Don’t think it’d do much good, though.”

“You really enjoy mocking me, don’t you?” Abe questioned, following her up the steps and into the cabin.

“Well, yes,” she admitted. “But it really is very sweet how dedicated you are to this. “We’ll go on our fancy date with the tablecloths and the wine and the menu we can’t read, I promise.”

“I hope so. If this keeps up, though, we might have to fall back on pulling out one of my nice tablecloths and drinking expensive wine in my apartment after ordering off a takeout menu we couldn’t read.”

“That’s an excellent plan to fall back on. I might even say it’s a superior plan.”

“Oh, yeah?” He claimed the chair across from her, glancing around to make sure they were the first ones to board and then leaning forward slightly. “And why’s that?”

“I’ll tell you when we’re not having this conversation on the government’s dime,” she replied casually, grinning at the way he stared at her with wide eyes for several moments.

“You’re a cruel woman,” he informed her seriously.

“Yes, well,” she returned glibly, “I never once claimed to be anything else, now did I?”

Their conversation was cut short by Maya’s appearance, who smiled tiredly at the both of them as she claimed the seat across from Abe.

“You look exhausted,” Abe commented.

“Thank you so much,” Maya drawled sarcastically, leaning her head back against the headrest with a weary sigh. “Matty’s doctor put him on another medicine, and it’s - I don’t know. I think it’s making him worse. But he wants to stick with it, because nothing else has worked, and…”

“I’m sorry,” Harper murmured.

“If there’s anything we can do to help, Dobbins,” Abe began sincerely, “feel free to…”

She waved away their concern. “It’s fine. I’m sure it’ll all work out. I just wanted to vent, I guess.”

“Well, vent anytime,” Harper urged.

“Believe me, I will,” Maya promised, her smile transforming into something slightly more genuine.

Trey was the last to arrive. The major claimed the seat next to Maya, looking even more exhausted than the captain. “I am entirely certain the person who chose to name it morning sickness had absolutely no idea what he was talking about.”

Abe winced sympathetically. “Nona’s still not feeling the best, huh?”

“The doctor said it should’ve gone away after her first trimester. The way things are going, I think she’ll consider it a miracle if it’s not still sticking around when she goes into labor.” The major shook his head. “I hated having to leave her.”

“Well, hopefully this won’t take long,” Harper stated optimistically.

“A Marine selling drugs to underaged kids? Especially the kids of brigadier generals?” Abe shook his head. “I don’t think it’s going to take much to win this one.”

Maya narrowed her eyes slightly. “There’s no proof he was selling the drugs.”

“They found several kilos of cocaine in his car, Dobbins,” Abe pointed out. “If he wasn’t planning to sell it, then what was he planning on doing with it?”

“Okay, you two, how about we save the arguments for the courtroom,” Harper suggested mildly, well aware of how quickly those two could fall down the rabbit hole when it came to work. “We have a four-hour flight to make it through before we even hear anybody’s story.”

“I’m certainly interested in hearing what Sergeant Hollingsworth has to say for himself,” Abe agreed.

“So am I,” Maya nodded. “I’m sure he’ll have an excellent explanation.”

“Guys,” Harper said again. “Four hours left to go, remember?”

“You always ruin our fun,” Abe muttered teasingly, shifting in his seat to settle more comfortably.

“Hey, if somebody didn’t, it’d start to feel like a high school debate club in here in about two seconds flat,” Harper replied exasperatedly. “You’ll be able to argue plenty when the time comes. You shouldn’t be greedy.”

“What if I want to be?” Abe responded without bothering to open his eyes.

“Then I guess I’ll put up with even more of your gloating,” Harper replied, releasing a long-suffering sigh.

“Hey, you brought it upon yourself,” Maya reminded her from across the aisle.

“Yes,” Harper agreed, glancing over at the captain seated next to her with a fond smile. “Yes, I did.”

-o-

“Well,” Abe sighed, closing the door behind them and flipping on the light, making it possible for them to walk through his apartment without risking injury, “that took a lot longer than I thought.” He headed for the sofa, typing away on his phone to confirm something relating to their case with Rami.

“Yeah,” Harper agreed wearily, walking into the bedroom to stow their bags away in the closet. “I didn’t think it’d take three hours to get a conviction. Three days seems a little beyond ridiculous.”

“Good thing I didn’t ask the restaurant to hold our reservation, I guess.” Abe glanced up from his phone when Harper reentered the room, holding out his free arm and pulling her into his side when she’d had a chance to settle on the cushion next to him. “I don’t think they would’ve taken too fondly to us being seventy-two hours late.”

“Yeah,” Harper agreed tiredly, her eyes drifting shut. “That might’ve been enough to get us banned for life.”

“Don’t want that.” Abe reached for the remote and began flipping through the channels. “I’m assuming you’d be all right with the _Law & Order_ marathon I just found?”

“Always,” she murmured. “Though I might fall asleep before they catch the bad guy.”

“You’ve seen the entire series at least three times over,” Abe pointed out. “You already know who all the bad guys are.”

“Not my fault my parents started letting me watch it when I was nine years old.” Harper sighed. “Maybe we’ll have to see if that place delivers.” The doorbell rang just as she finished speaking. “Who could that be?”

“That would be our dinner. Turns out this is one of those rare occasions where I’m one step ahead of you, Li.” He pulled away gently, careful to disrupt her as little as possible, and headed to answer the door. He thanked the deliveryman, then accepted the bag of food the guy extended in his direction.

Harper sat up slightly, smiling with an exasperated fondness as she eyed the bag he held. “You bought me dinner?”

“Of course I bought you dinner,” he replied just as softly, placing the bag down on the coffee table and heading into the kitchen for utensils, wine, and glasses. “Told you I was going to, didn’t I? I mean, I did plan on doing it the right way – dinner at the restaurant, walk through the park – but our jobs make that much more difficult than I thought it’d be, so I figured…” He nodded toward the bag as he walked back into the room. “No snails, no pig’s blood. Promise.”

“Like I said,” she said, moving to take the containers he held out to her, “you really do like me.”

“Mm. I got you ravioli,” he informed her. “You said once it was your favorite, so…”

“My favorite color, my favorite food. You really pay attention to things I say once, don’t you?”

He shrugged. “What can I say? I listen when you speak, Harper.”

She smiled, accepting the fork he extended in her direction. “I know you do.”

“I ordered dessert, too,” he commented. “Was going to get the crème brûlée, but I didn’t know how it’d stand up in a delivery truck, so I went with the chocolate lava cake instead.”

“I read the reviews for that lava cake. I think someone proposed marriage to it.” Harper popped open the lid to her takeout container and immediately dug into her pasta. “I can see why someone decided to propose marriage to this food,” she commented after finishing her first bite.

“Glad you like it. So,” Abe began, leaning back against the sofa, “okay first date so far?”

She glanced over at him, her gaze softening as her lips quirked upwards. “Best I’ve ever been on.”

“Well, good,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple. “My mission’s been accomplished, then.”

**Author's Note:**

> I know I disappeared from this fandom for over a month, and I apologize profusely. I hope you'll all take this as proof of how sorry I am.


End file.
